St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-29
AN INDIAN MILLIONAIRE.
Matthias Splitlog and the Rail
road He is Building Out West.

Had any one predicted quarter of
century ago that an American Indian
would build railroad he would have
been considered fit object for a luna
tic asylum. But the people of Newton
county. Mo-, a county adjoining the In
dian territory, have witnessed scene
such as man has never before beheld.
Matthias Splitlog, half Cayuga and
half Wyandotte Indian, born In an In
dian village in Canada, drove the first
spike for the Kansas City, Fort Smith
d Southern railway. The division of
the Kansas City, Fort Smith 81 Southern
railway was chartered the Sth of last
March under the laws of the state of
Missouri, with capital of s., 000, 600, and
now there ares abouf thirty-fiye miles
graded and ready for the iron.
Mr.. SplitlOg has furnished the ''SinewS
OF war" out of his own ample fortune,
and is backed by heavy capitalists to
complete the road, and before the LIST of
next January he will have the cars run
nlng from Joplin, in Jasper county, to
the town OF Splitlog in Mcdonald coun-
ty, distance of about thirty-tiye miles,
and Matthias Splitlog, the millionaire
OF his race, will henceforth be known
railroad man (at least the firSD in the
United States OF in the whole world.
The occasion of driving the first spike
on the main line of this new road was a
matter Of more than ordinary interest
to the people Of NeoshO. AT 3:15 there
were about one thousand people assem-
bled at the point where the main line
crosses the Frisco track. After music
by the Indian band from the territory,
and selections by the Neosho band, Mr.
Charles w. Smith, auditor of the con-
struction company, held the spike in
position, and in four bold strokes Mr..
carefully selected whiteoak tie. Cheer
after cheer was given for the road,
Matthias Splitlog, Neosiio and the en-
terprise, after which many came to the
track to look at the spike. Mr.. Splitlog
welded the sledge with a familiarity
and precision which indicated that he
had used his sledge with good effect
when he built his steamboat ON the De-
troit river.
Mr.. SpiitlOg was born in the year 1918,
and while boy was apprenticed to a
carpenter and millwright, and, although
his wages were only 81 per month,
young Splitlog thought he was getting
rich. He imbibed love for machinery
eltitt fCtttouS Nllttit Has lidut lllS Iitt
useful and eventful one. In the year
1912 young Splitlog Joined the Wyan-
dotteS, who were the last of the Indian
tribes then in Ohio. Ia 1913 Splitlog
came West with some of the tribe, and
found, after his arrival at WeStport
landing (now Kansas City,, that he only
had so cents in his pocket. He induced
an cid Indian to GO his security for the
price of an axe. With this axe he cut
cordweod for the steamboats, at % cents
per cord, and, after paying for the axe,
which cost 50, he soon saved enough to
buy pony.
About the year 1916 he married Eliza
Barnett, a grardniece of Harry Jacques.
the old Indian who went his security for
the price of the axe. Her father was
head-chief of the Wyandottes when he
died in 1888. Her mother was part
Wyandotte and part Seneca Indian.
They. have "a family of FIVE children
four sons and one daughter. Splitiog
was never idle, and in most of his under
takings he was successful. AT an early
day he built mill near Wyandotte.
which was first run by horsepower and
afterwards by steam. Splitlog'S mill
was a success and was long an old land
mark near Wyandotte He began to
speculate IN real estate, and, although
he can neither read or write. he has been
one of the most successful spectators
in the neighborhood of Kansas CITY,
and is to-day worth over 81 ZOO, 900.
Many interesting incidents could be
written in connection with his useful
life,